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BOILER CLEANER.

110,276,411. V Patented Apr.24,1883..

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No. 276,411. Patented Apr.24. 1883.

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No. 276,411] Patented Apr. 24, 1883.

WITNESSES IJVTV'EJVTOR IQ. irms min-ma a Wuhingtnm 0.4;

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES F. HOTGHKISS,.OF PLAINFIELD, NEW J ERSEY.

BOILERQ-CLEANER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 276,411, dated April24, 1883, Application filed July 12,1882. av model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES F. HoTcHItIss, of Plainfield,in the county of-Union and State of New J ersey,have in vented certain Improvements inBoiler-Gleaners,of which the following is a specification, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of referencemarked thereon.

My invention relates to an improvement upon that described in Patent No.166,782, granted August 17, 1875, to Thomas O. Kemp,

assigned to me, and reissued under No. 7,916,.

October 16, 1877, and patented in Canada November 1.5, 1873, under No.2,862.

The invention described in that patent consists in an improved method ofremoving impurities or foreign matters found in the water ofsteam-boilers, and which. are thrown to the surface by the ebnllitionthereof, together with the mechanical appliances for carrying saidmethod into effect, as fully described in the said reissued patent.

The operation of'the invention is dependent upon the action of the lawsof gravity as applied to waters ofdift'erent temperatures and tosubstances of different specific gravities.

The method employed consists in carrying the impurities raised to thesurface by ebullition below thatsurface, and then upward into areservoir with an ascending current induced by the displacement of adescending cooler body of water passing from said reservoir, the saidimpurities being deposited in the reservoir by precipitation. Thepresent invention consists in improvements in the construction of theapparatus, whereby the efiiciency of its operation is greatly increased,simplicity and cheapness of manufacture are obtained, and the liabilityof disarrangement of the parts reduced to the minimum.

The invention is applicable to all classes of boilers, as stationary,locomotive, and marine.

In the drawings, Figure l is a view in perspective, showing theattachment of the apparatus to an ordinary tubular boiler. Fig. 2 showsits attachment to a locomotive-boiler. Fig. 3 is a transverse section onenlarged scale on the line a b of Fig. 2. Figs. 4, 5, and 6 showmodifiedforms of the invention as apboiler.

plied to a locomotive-boiler. Fig.7 shows the attachment of theapparatus to i a marine Fig. 8 is a transverse section on line 0 (Z ofFig. 7. Figs. 9, 10, and llvshow different arrangements ot' theapparatus, and Figs.

.12 and 13 modifications in the construction thereof, as hereinafterdescribed.

Similar letters of reference indicate similar parts in the respectivefigures.

A is the boiler, upon which, as shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 8, and 11,is placed the ms t ervoir B, resting upon the base a. The reservoir is acast-iron spherical vessel of about eighteen gallons capacity. It isnine-sixteenths of an inch in thickness and weighs about two hundred andfil'teen pounds. It occupies when in position, with its pipes attached,a space twenty-eight to thirty inches long, twenty-four inches wide, andtwenty-six inches high.

G is a funnel, which is placed in the boiler so that its bottom edge isnot higher than the low-water level. In boilers not over sixteen feetlong it is advisable to place the funnel as near the back-head (or thatfarthest away from the fire) as possible. In longer boilers the mouthshould be about one-fifth of the length of the boiler from theback-head. The funnel is made of sheet-iron. Its mouth or opening istwelve by fifteen inches across its greater and lesser diameters, and itcan be inserted in any ordinary man-hole; but should the man-hole betoosmall the funnel may be bent, andafter insertion restored to itsnormal state. 7

D is the upfiow-pipe, suitably tapped into the shell of the boiler at b,and coupled at c to a separate section, which connects at d with theapex of the funnel (J. The upper end of the pipe D unites with a valve,d, into which a separate and horizontal section of the pipe is screwed,the other end of the section being tapped into the nozzle d of thereservoir B.

The return-pipe E is similarly connected to IOO and where possibleshould extend to a point about eight inches from the bottom of theboiler.

F is the blow-ofl' pipe, which is connected with the lower part of thereservoirB, and may be carried in any direction and to any convenientpointof discharge. It is preferable to place a valve in the pipe,asshown by 6, within reach of the engineer.

G is a deflector, cast as a part of the upper portion of the reservoirB, and extendin g within the same to about its center, as shown. Thepurpose of this deflector will be hereinafter described.

In Fig. 3, which represents in cross-section the application of theapparatus to a locomotive-boiler, two funnels are shown uniting with aninverted T-pipe. The arrangement of the reservoir and uptlow, return,and blow-ofit' pipes is substantially the same as in the application tothe stationary boiler. The mode of application can be varied, however.For instance, theupflow-pipe can enter the smoke-arch, making connectionwith either one or two funnels through the front head of the boiler. Thereturnpipe may be introduced through the boiler on the side near thecheck-valve, as shown in Fig. 3,0r may be passed through the top of theshell in the more ordinary manner. As shown in Fig. 3, the two funnelsare arranged so that one is on each side of the drypipef, the funnelsconnecting with the single upflow-pipe. Where the dry-pipe is not placedcentrally and longitudinally of the boiler a single funnel may be used.

In Figs. 4 and 5 adifl'erent-construction and arrangement of funnel isshown for special application to locomotive-boilers, to which, from theinaccessibility of their interiors and cramped space, the introductionof the ordi nary funnel might be objectionable. A bushing, 01', isscrewed into the tube-sheet, and

into this the pipe end of the funnel (here lettered O) is screwed, theupflow-pipe being tapped into the other end of the bushing. The holeinthe tube-sheet made to receive the bushing is large enough to admit thefunnel end. A similar bushing, (1 is screwed into the shell of theboiler, and to this the sections of the return-pipe E are connected. InFig. 6 the funnel is shown dispensed with, the receiving end of the pipebeing represented by G".

The application of the apparatus to a marine boiler, as represented inFigs. 7 and 8, will be sufficiently well understood therefrom and fromthe preceding description, and need not be further explained.

Fig. 9 shows the apparatus placed at the back of a stationary boilerwhen the low ceiling of the room would not allow of its being Fig. 11indicates the connection of the return-pipe to a mud-drum, which undersome circumstances may be advantageous.

The apparatus may be attached in many ways in addition to thoserepresented in the respective figures, and which might be suggested bythe construction of the boiler, its arrangement in the room, &c. Thus,for instance, the mode of attachment of the apparatus to an ordinaryflue, cylinder, or upright boiler would be governed by the exigencies ofthe case. As upright boilers vary greatly in the disposition of theirinternal parts, no general rule can be laid down for the application ofthe apparatus to them, and special directions might be necessaryin eachcase, While the general principle of the invention and the substantialconstruction of its parts wonld'be adhered to. The difficulty found inkeeping upright boilers clean and of obtaining access thereto rendersthe use of the apparatus therewith specially important. I

Fig. 12 shows a modification in the shape of the reservoir. As hererepresented, the upper part is cylindrical, while the lower connectingportion is funnelshaped, the blow otf pipe joining with the bottom ofthe funnel.

Fig. 13 shows a further modification, the lower part of the reservoirbeing of spherical construction.

The operation of the apparatus is as follows: As soon as the water inthe boiler becomes heated, currents are established. These currents areformed by the hotter, and therefore lighter, water flowing upward andaway from the source of the greatest heat,while thecolder and denserwater flows to the source of heat to replace the other and in its turnbecome heated. In all boilers where fireis applied at one end thecurrents established will be upward and from the fire on the surface,and downward and toward the fire in the lower part of the boiler.Communication being established between the boiler A and reservoir B,the water forced into said reservoir is subject to a pressure common toboth it and the boiler-water, and as long as its density and specificgravity remain the same as those of the water in the boiler, (consequentupon equal temperature,) there will be an equilibrium established in theboiler, reservoir, and pipes, and no circulatory motion through the samewilloccur; but as a body of water removed from actual contact with thegreater body of heated water in the boiler, the reservoir water beginsto cool, and, gathering density in cooling, overcomes the equilibriumestablished and commences to descend the return-pipe. At the same momentthe funnel admits an inflowing upward column of water, which seeks toagain establish the former equal condition, and the circulation oncehegun will continueindefinitely. As theimpurities are thrown to thewater-level by ebullition they are received within the funnel andcarried below the water-level, up the pipe D, and deposited in thereservoir B. The fall of the IIO temperature of the water holding theimpurities in suspension causes them to be precipitated to the bottom ofthe reservoir, and the water returned to the boiler is practicallyclear. The circulation continuing, all the water of the boilerultimately passes through the reservoir, where it is kept still and freefrom the agitating currents in the boiler. The most favorable conditionsare therefore insured for the precipitation and deposit of sediment. Thesediment, once deposited in the reservoir, can be removed through theblow-pipe as often as necessary.

In order to prevent agitation of the water within the reservoir byobstructing the current of water through the same, I provide thedeflector G, before referred to, the deflector serving to check the flowof water, insuring a still place for the precipitation of sediment, andinducingthedownward movementthereof.

It is well known that deposits andincrustations seek the quietest partof a boiler, and my invention provides a quiet place for theiraccumulation outside of the boiler itself and removed from heat and itsagitating effects, whence they can be readily removed as fast as theyaccumulate without loss of water.

With the shape of the reservoir shown in the Reissued Patent No. 7,916,before referred to, the sediment being spread over a wide area in thereservoir, it cannot be as readily and effectually removed as with theuse of a reservoir constructed in accordance with my invention.

It is apparent that a spherical or equivalent shape of the lower part ofthe reservoir permits of the accumulation of sediment within a smallarea, and that it is readily discharged through the connecting lowerpipe without loss of water. A spherical reservoir is also much morecompact, admits of greater pressure, and is much cheaper than the oneshown in the reissued patent.

The addition to the reservoir of the deflector is also an importantimprovement. In

order to allow air to pass from one side of the deflector to the other,I have found it necessary to perforate the upper part thereof. One smallhole is sufficient. In the absence of such provision the reservoir inoperation becomes airbound. at

Another advantage in the use of the dcflector is, that the length of thecourse taken by the water through the reservoiris increased, and this,together with the retardation of the water by the deflector, givesgreater time forthe precipitation of sediment than would be allowed werealively and direct current through the reservoirpermitted. The deflectoralso, as before stated, directs the course of the sediment downward, andthe sediment, once having been given this direction, will not again takean ascending course.

Another advantage of this invention over that describedin the reissuedpatent consists in the placing of the mouth of the funnel so as tofacethe firing end of the boiler, whereby toobstruct and receive the surfacecurrent flowing from the said end of the boiler. The current in thepresent invention is direct and unopposed, whereas with the apparatusdescribed in the reissued patent there are two opposing currents.

Having described my invention, I claim- 1. In a sediment-collector forsteam-boilers, a spherical reservoir or its equivalent having abase-piece and a blow-off pipe connected with the lower part of said.reservoir, combined with a funnel suspended within the boiler with itsmouth in the line of water and steam, an upflow-pipe'attached to saidfunnel and to the reservoir, and a return-pipe united to the reservoirand reaching into the boiler to a plane below that in which the'loweredge of thefunnel is placed, substantially as and for the purposes setforth.

2. In a sediment-collector for steam-boilers, the combination, with aspherical reservoir or its equivalent provided with an internaldeflector and with a blow-off pipe, of a funnel suspended within theboiler with its mouth in the line of water and steam and facing thefiring end of the boiler, and upflow and return pipes and suitablevalves, all arranged substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

3. As an element in a sediment-collector or boiler-cleaner, a reservoirprovided with a deflector perforated at its upper part to preventair-binding, as specified.

4. In a sediment-collecting apparatus for steam-boilers, thecombinatiomwith the boiler tube-sheet and an externally and internallythreaded bushing, of a sediment-receiving funnel or pipe and an upflowpipe, each screwed into an end of the bushing at oppo site sides of thetube-sheet, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

In testimony whereofI have hereunto set my hand this 14th day of June,1882. v

JAMES F. HOTGHKISS.

